April 4/08 1:49 am - It's Madison Time at the Burnaby Velodrome

The summer track racing season is almost upon us, and this month is the perfect time to learn how to Madison race at the Burnaby Velodrome!

Perhaps the best spectator race in track cycling is the Madison, where teams of two riders tag off every couple laps. As with a baton relay in track and field, the exchange is crucial: the racer grabs the hand of the relief and sling-shots the relief rider into the race. Madison training and racing is the best way to develop strong bike handling skills, a keen sense of balance, high end endurance, and pack positioning acumen.

If you've never raced Madison, the BVC is offering a 3-part Introduction to Madison clinic. This clinic will initiate the rider to riding with one hand, will introduce the Madison exchange, and will give you plenty of practice in a low-pressure, coached environment. The clinic will be held on the following evenings: Friday, April 18 7:00 - 8:30, Wednesday, April 23 7:00 - 8:30, and Friday, April 25 6:30 - 8:00.

For those comfortable with the basics of the Madison, and are looking for advanced technique instruction and race strategy, the BVC is offering a 2-part Advanced Madison clinic. The clinic will be held on the following evenings: Wednesday, April 30 6:30 - 8:00 and Friday, May 2 7:00 - 8:30.

Finally, the BVC is offering 7 evening Madison workout sessions, giving everyone the opportunity to practice what they've learned and to get ready for Maydays! These workout sessions are open to club members that have raced Madison or have completed one of our Madison clinics, so let's get a large group working to perfect our skills! The sessions will be held on the following dates, and are subject to minimum and maximum group sizes.

Check out the BVC website for clinic registration information, and don't forget to register for Maydays! Preregistration is mandatory, and spots are filling up quickly. We will be limiting field sizes, and this will be done on a first come, first served basis, so sign up early to avoid disappointment.